A conveyor line and a carrier are known from the applicant's earlier application with U.S. Publication No. 2005/0037705.
In one exemplary aspect, an object of the present invention is to further develop this known conveyor line and carrier such that it is possible to measure the weight of the poultry or poultry part suspended in the carrier without sacrificing the possibility to engage the sideways extending arm provided on the rotatable rod for bypassing the poultry around processing means that may be positioned in the track of the conveyor line.
WO2011/133028 discloses a conveyor line with a poultry carrier and EP-A-1 440 618 discloses a poultry carrier for a conveyor line, wherein both documents disclose that the carrier has a carriage for moving the poultry along a track of a conveyor line, and wherein the carrier is embodied with hooks for suspending the poultry by the legs, and the carrier is arranged with at least a first rotatable vertical rod suspended from the carriage to enable rotation of the poultry. Both documents further disclose weighing means forming part of the carrier. However neither of these documents teaches, hints, suggests, or provides any rationale regarding how to combine the weighing facility of these devices with the facility that the poultry may be bypassed around a processing means in the track of the conveyor line. WO2011/133028 and EP-A-1 440 618 cannot for that purpose be amalgamated with U.S. Publication No. 2005/0037705 because the respective documents disclose inherently incompatible constructions. Furthermore the constructions of WO2011/133028 and EP-A-1 440 618 entail many components and are therefore costly, whilst hygiene is poor since the constructions are sensitive to accumulation of dirt and grease.
In another exemplary aspect, another object of the invention is to secure hygienic working conditions by an appropriate design of the conveyor line and carrier.
In another exemplar aspect, another object of the invention is to provide such a conveyor line and carrier with less components than used in the prior art and to reduce costs.
In still another exemplary aspect, another object of the invention is to reduce play and friction in relevant parts of the conveyor line and carrier.
One or more of these objects of the invention or others are achieved or at least promoted by the features of the conveyor line and carrier according to one or more of the appended claims.